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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. spring — the season
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. spring — a coil
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. date — the fruit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com